T-Netix

[DJohnson]

This is the phone company that I have been dealing w/that owns the phone systems where EJ is at....GOD I HATE THIS PLACE!! They block my phone line after so many days of him not calling. Hell it doesn't even have to be a couple days. He wrote me once after he was calling regularly & told me ALL of his #'s on his phone list wouldn't go through. When I FINALLY got through to this company...they said OF COURSE there was no block, but would be happy to re-do my line just in case. Well what do you know EJ happened to call that night & GOT THROUGH!!!
AT & T is the long distance carrier for this company, but whenver he doesn't call for a couple days I have to call this company because AT & T don't put the blocks on THEY DO!!


http://www.t-netix.com

[tiamotzz]

i haven't been able to get blocks from my local carrier lifted yet, but i agree about t-netix's service. i sat on hold for 45 minutes trying to get through. no one ever picked up despite the reassurances of the voice prompt.! still no phone calls for me.

[DJohnson]

tia...I honestly don't know what this companies problem is!!
EJ got off of phone restriction this Aug. 1, he tried calling me & all his #'s were blocked again. I kind of had an idea that was the case so I called. After 2 days of trying to get through, I talked to a guy who right away said that he is going to re-program my line to take the block off! There should NOT have been a block to begin with, but that system as well as the phones there suck really bad!

I can't wait until EJ gets transferred at the end of the month, I won't have to deal w/that company anymore. In fact I am on the line right now on hold because I think they did it again!!

[Brian helps]

I own outside Connection, inc. and we have litigation going against T-netix because, what they are doing to you and thousands of other families is ILLEGAL. They are blocking MY company lines and that is totally against the law and there filed tariff!!!! Please let me know if you are willing to send me a short statement so my attorney can use them against T-netix with the FCC and state regulatory agencies!!!!

Brian Helps
Outside Connection, inc. President

[Tricia46311]

Hi. I wasn't surprised to see this thread or the messages posted. I feel like I've been in prison since T-Netix has taken over the prison phone system here. I have never made a late payment on a telephone bill in the 30 years I've had my own service, but T-Netix constantly blocked me. My son has a serious medical condition and was in the infirmary for approximately 2 months while this was all going on. I asked them how they could legally do this and the gentlemen stated they could and to read their agreement which "clearly" states they can block anyone they want. I explained that I always pay my bill on time and he said well when you reach a certain amount we block you until you've paid the bill. I asked how could I pay the bill when I hadn't receivd it yet. It had only been 2 weeks or so since my last bill. To make a long story short, after numerous calls, emails to T-Netix and the governor a woman by the name of Helen McCoy (T-Netix rep) called me. When I explained what they were doing to me she had someone drive at 11:00 p.m. to the main office to take the block off my phone. She went above and beyond the call of duty. I started having problems again and spoke with her this week and she asked that I please notify her immediately of any problems I may have had. She asked me to describe as best I could word for word what I was told and who told it to me. I told her that many people here are fed up with T-Netix and she said please have them notify me. Here's her number. I know she'll help you as long as your phone bills are paid on time. 734-673-4071

[Cameo]

Welcome Tricia and thank you for posting this for our members...If it's ok, I'd like to copy it and paste it in the Indiana forum, so it can reach members who might miss your information here.

I just went with a new phone company when I moved and I was suprised to find out AFTER I had the line established that this local company does not accept third billing. So now I too have T-Netix. I can only say, if this is what I have to look forward to, I'll copy this and send it to our governor and see if He'll do anything!

Great job on your persistance!! And I also hope all is well with your son and his health now!

Pamela

[sherri13]

another welcome and thanks tricia !
let us know how your son is doing

[danielle]

I've been dealing with this comapny since Qwest went under fire - about the same time and for the same reasons as Worldcom. It costs about $20 for one 15 minute phone call from my husband.

vlcoffman posted this in another topic about this same company -

Here in Alabama we have been forced to use TNetix and they are aweful. I have found out this much information They block our phones in three ways.
1. if an inmate makes 25.00 worth of calls in a 24 hour time period- they block it for 24 hours
2. If an inmate makes 50.00 worth of calls in a week- a block is placed until their week frame is up.
3. If an inmate makes 150.00 in a month they block it until their month is up.
I have stayed on the phone placed on hold for up to three hours with only hanging up because no one every answered.

Guys, this is insane and I am ready to take some action! What can we do - who do we need to write, or whatever? Maybe a class action lawsuit? Who is getting the kickbacks from this company? It's$5.88 for the first minute, $0.88 for each additional minute plus a $4 connection fee - with every single phone call from Wayne.

Let's rock and roll and do something!

[Tricia46311]

Thank you all for your warm welcome. I haven't figured out how to post to a paticular individual though. Am I missing something here, LOL.

Anyway, this is how I finally got Helen McCoy involved. I emailed T-Netix with a cc to the Governor of the State of Indiana. I knew when the Indiana DOC had signed the contract with T-Netix and I knew when the contract was up. I informed T-netix in the email (with cc to the governor) that their constant blocking of paying customers is losing money for the State of Indiana and when contract renewal comes up, I think the Governor might want to choose another company. I received a letter from the governor asking me to keep him apprised of any problems I'm having with them, which I have done. Every email sent to T-Netix is cc to the governor so that T-Netix can clearly see what I've done. Someone from T-Netix forwarded my email to Helen McCoy and she contacted me and got it all straightened out for a few months. I now have a pre-paid phone card for my son which is 25 cents a minute no connect fee. Indiana did finally lower the rates though for the collect calls. It's 1.75 to connect and 25 cents a minute which is much better than what I was paying. OK, so Helen set me up with Direct bill account. T-Netix bills twice a month. Only problem is I would get the bill 5 days before payment was due so I would call T-Netix and hold for hours waiting to make the payment with my credit card on the phone. If the payment wasn't received by the due date I would get the BLOCK. Now 2 weeks ago I was notified they have done away with direct billing by a supervisor. I asked o.k. now when my son starts making collect calls because his phone card doesn't work or there's no money left on it are you going to block me when my bill reaches a certain amount. The supervisor assured me that he entered in the computer "DO NOT BLOCK PRE-PAID OR COLLECT CALLS". Well last Friday night, I was blocked. I contacted Helen McCoy and she said she would take care of this. She took all the information down and said she's been receiving many complaints and wants me to let her know of any problems I have. The only way she can take care of them is by being notified. So please everyone contact Helen. She called me Thursday night at 9:00. I think she works round the clock. She gave me her cell phone number, her business number (no holding, she answers her own phone) and her email address.

I don't know about the rest of the states but the Governor is the only person the DOC answers to. Check out your states prison websites to see when they signed the contract with T-Netix and when it's time for contract renewal. It gives you some ammo to work with.

Hope this helps

Tricia

[tshreve]

I guess I'm lucky to be in Missouri. My son calls once a week and talks for an hour and it only cost around 10 dollars or so

[cheifs lady]

hi
I also have been battling with t-netix. i got this web site through an e mail from a CURE group. I have been in contact with t-netix and they have had my line blocked for 4 months and told me that there was not a block. Finally someone told me 2 months ago that they didnt even have the contract for the facility where my husband is, and gave me a number for telequip. Well to make a long story short,
t-netix is telling me it is telequip that handles direct billing and telequip is telling me it is t-netix. It has been 6 months since my husband has been able to call home. I have very seriously considered contacting the corparation commission. Tricia thank you for the information. there is a man with t- netix here that is trying ( i think) to help me get this straigtened out , but if he doesnt have an answer for me tomorrow i will contact her. Oh and by the way yes i know i spelled my name wrong, but cant figure out how to change it. LOL

[Soul SLiver]

oh no....Now I'm officially scared out of my mind!

Today was my first contact with T-Netix and I couldn't stay on hold my entire lunch break (at 9am) so I decided to hang up. Thankfully I get off with some time left at the end of the day to sit on hold (better plug in the wall phone!).

Can I expect them to charge me up front or will they send me regular billing?

FYI, AT&T owns the lines at the correctional facility (and no I don't want their long distance service!) but T-netix handles all their billing...funny since AT&T doesn't allow tpb (third party billing) on their bills, but they allow it to be done for them?

[Cameo]

It's crazy...T-Netix, I just unblocked me line yesterday. They are the worst to deal with!

[Soul SLiver]

If it is this bad, has anyone looked further into a class action?

[Cameo]

No, where just waiting for YOU to get your law degree and handle us pro-bono...LOL!


It is that bad and I know there are class action lawsuits, but with different organizations.